Noshing Around

A little café that chiefly served the coffee needs of those inside the medical-plaza building next to St. Mary's Hospital is moving into a space at Mercado San Agustín, 100 S. Avenida del Convento. Stella Java uses beans roasted right here in Tucson by the coffee geniuses at eXo Roast Co., and fine teas from local company Maya Tea Co. Mercado San Agustín is already a wonderful place to stop in for a bite thanks to restaurants ranging from a taco shop to Agustín Brasserie. The addition of this great little café makes it that much better; www.stellajava.com.

Wine, Wine, Wine

Need some help finding the perfect wine to accompany your holiday feasts? Consider checking out the weekly tastings down at CataVinos, 3063 N. Alvernon Way. Discover South American wines—which some say are among the most-underappreciated wines around—at tastings from 4 to 8 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 29 through Dec. 1. American wines take center stage at tastings from 4 to 8 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 6 through Dec. 8. Italian wines are featured from 4 to 8 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 13 through Dec. 15. The tastings are $10 each; $8 if you buy some wine; or free if you buy a case; www.catavinoswines.com.

Five Palms Fine Dining, which is setting up shop in the former home of Café Terra Cotta at 3500 E. Sunrise Drive, has started hiring, signaling that the opening isn't far off. This new restaurant will be quite the affair, with a full wine shop and various spaces designed for special events.

So Long

This is my last column here at the Tucson Weekly, and I wanted to take a few lines to say that it's been a blast writing for all of you. Thanks for reading, and may your holidays be filled with good things to eat and drink. See you around.